Device and method of inserting watermarks through conversing contents automatically

ABSTRACT

Provided are a watermark insertion apparatus and method. The watermark insertion method includes acquiring content through upload by a user, storing the uploaded content, receiving a content conversion request from a user or a manager, determining whether content for which content conversion has been requested is video or an image, converting the content according to the determined content kind, and inserting watermark suitable for the content kind into the converted content.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2012-0126869, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for insertingwatermark, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for insertingwatermark through automatic content conversion.

BACKGROUND

As information communication technology advances, various data formatsare changed from an analog format to a digital format in whichprocessing is easy, and quality is not degraded even after several-timereproduction and copy. With the advancement of the Internet, digitaldata is widely distributed.

In such digital data, digital video is widely used on the Internet dueto the advancement of compression technology such as joint photographiccoding experts group (JPEG).

The digital video is easy to copy and distribute, and thus, when thedigital video is indiscriminately distributed without an author'sconsent in an open space such as the Internet, it is unable to protectthe intellectual property rights of an author and a copyright owner.

To overcome such limitations, a watermarking technique that determinesthe falsification and unlawful use of digital video and enables theclaim of copyright is proposed as a technique that adds an imperceptivesignal into digital video and uses the imperceptive signal forauthentication and protection of copyright.

Various watermarking techniques have been developed at present, but atechnique using a pseudo random sequence is mainly used at present.Also, instead of a spatial domain, a transformed domain using a discreteFourier transform or a discrete cosine transform is mainly used for adomain into which watermark is inserted.

However, the related art method inserts watermark without systematicallysorting the kinds of contents in an operation that stores contents andperforms content conversion, and thus, a user needs to again sortcontents by kind. For this reason, much time is unnecessarily expended,and work efficiency is low, causing inconvenience in use.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a watermark insertionapparatus and method that determine the kind of content uploaded by auser, performs automatic content conversion on the determined content,and inserts watermark into the content.

In one general aspect, a watermark insertion apparatus includes: acontroller acquiring a content upload request of a user and a contentconversion request of a manager; a content storage storing uploadedcontent and/or content for which content conversion has been performed;and a content converter performing content conversion on the uploadedcontent according to a control by the controller, inserting watermarkinto the content, and storing the content in the content storage.

In another general aspect, a watermark insertion method includes:acquiring content through upload by a user; storing the uploadedcontent; receiving a content conversion request from a user or amanager; determining whether content for which content conversion hasbeen requested is video or an image; converting the content according tothe determined content kind; and inserting watermark suitable for thecontent kind into the converted content.

Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detaileddescription, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a watermark insertion apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a watermark insertion methodaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a watermark insertion apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a watermark insertion apparatus 100 includes acontroller 110, a content storage 120, and a content converter 130.

The controller 110 acquires a content upload request of a user and acontent conversion request of a manager. Specifically, the controller110 acquires a user content request by performing wired or wirelesscommunication with at least one of a personal computer (PC), a notebookcomputer, a netbook computer, a smart phone, and a tablet PC.

For example, a user accesses the watermark insertion apparatus 100through Wi-Fi by using Galaxy Tap 10.1 inches tablet PC manufactured bySamsung company, and, when the user requests movie video or ahigh-resolution image, the controller 110 acquires a user contentrequest.

The content storage 120 stores uploaded contents and/or convertedcontents. The content storage 120 stores uploaded contents or contentsfor which conversion and watermark insertion have been completed.

In detail, the content storage 120 stores uploaded movie video orimages, and movie video or images in which content conversion has beenperformed and watermark is inserted thereinto.

The content converter 130 performs content conversion on uploadedcontent according to a control by the controller 110, inserts watermarkinto the content, and stores the content in the content storage 120.

Moreover, the content storage 130 requests content from the contentstorage 120, and performs content conversion in a first-in first-out(FIFO) scheme. The FIFO scheme is a scheme on a FIFO data structure, anddenotes a scheme in which first-input data is first outputted. Forexample, when movie videos are stored as movie 1, movie 2, and movie 3in the content storage 130, content conversion is performed in the orderof movie 1, movie 2, and movie 3.

The content converter 130 determines the kind of content acquired fromthe content storage 120, and inserts watermark suitable for the content.

Specifically, when an extension of a content kind for which conversionhas been requested is avi, mpeg, mp4, wmv, asf, asx, fly, swf, mkw, skm,k3g, ogv, ts, or tp, the content converter 130 determines the content asvideo. When an extension of a content kind is jpg, gif, tif, bmp, png,pct, or pcx, the content converter 130 determines the content as animage.

When acquired content is an image, the content converter 130 diagonallyinserts watermark into the content. When acquired content is video, thecontent converter 130 inserts tetragonal watermark into an image framecenter.

When acquired content is video, the content converter 130 performsencoding on the content, and, when acquired content is an image, thecontent converter 130 extracts a thumbnail from the content. Forexample, a 2.57-gigabyte avi file is converted into a 347-megabyte mp4file by encoding movie video, and a 2-megabyte jpg file is convertedinto a 10-kilobyte bmp file by extracting a thumbnail from ahigh-resolution image.

Moreover, when acquired content is video, the content converter 130performs encoding on the content, and then inserts watermark into thecontent. When acquired content is an image, the content converter 130extracts thumbnails by designated size (for example, 50 KB, 25 KB, and10 KB) from the content, and inserts watermark into the content.

In detail, when acquired content is movie video, the content converter130 performs encoding on the content and simultaneously insertswatermark (contents way) into the content. When acquired content is animage, the content converter 130 performs a thumbnail from the contentand simultaneously inserts watermark (contents way) into the content.

In another embodiment, the content converter 130 may change a size,position, and concentration of watermark.

For example, a watermark size change input window may be displayed forchanging a watermark size in a content video screen or a content image,and a user's explicit intention may be inputted through the watermarksize change input window, whereby a watermark size may be changed to100%, 50%, 33% or the like of a video screen size or an image size.

In changing a watermark position, a position change input window isdisplayed, and a user's explicit intention may be inputted through theposition change input window, whereby a watermark position may beselected from among an upper portion, lower portion, left portion, rightportion, and center portion of a screen a user views. Also, a user mayfreely change a watermark position by moving watermark to insert upwardand downward, left and right, left diagonally, right diagonally, orcircularly in a drag and drop scheme.

Moreover, a watermark concentration may be changed. A watermarkconcentration change input window may be displayed, and adjusted to 0%to 100% by a progressive bar scheme.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a watermark insertion methodaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, content is first acquired through upload by a userin operation S210.

In detail, a user may acquire content by uploading a video file such asmovie or drama and an image file such as a picture or a photograph usingthe controller 110.

Subsequently, the watermark insertion apparatus stores the uploadedcontent in operation S220. Specifically, the content storage 120 storesan uploaded video file and an uploaded image file.

Subsequently, the watermark inserting apparatus receives a contentconversion request from the user or a manager in operation S230. Indetail, the controller 110 receives the content conversion request fromthe user or the manager.

Then, the watermark insertion apparatus determines whether content forwhich conversion has been requested is video or an image in operationS240. Specifically, when an extension of a content kind for whichconversion has been requested is avi, mpeg, mp4, wmv, asf, asx, fly,swf, mkw, skm, k3g, ogv, ts, or tp, the watermark insertion apparatusdetermines the content as video. When an extension of a content kind isjpg, gif, tif, bmp, png, pct, or pcx, the watermark insertion apparatusdetermines the content as an image. For example, when a file for whichconversion has been requested is movie video, an extension of the fileis avi, and thus, the watermark insertion apparatus determines the fileas video. Also, an extension of a high-resolution image file is jpg, andthus, the watermark insertion apparatus determines the high-resolutionimage file as an image.

Subsequently, the watermark insertion apparatus performs contentconversion according to the kind of content in operation S250. Indetail, when content is video, the watermark insertion apparatusperforms encoding on the content, and, when content is an image, thewatermark insertion apparatus extracts thumbnails by designated sizefrom the content to perform content conversion.

Moreover, the watermark insertion apparatus converts a result material,for which content conversion has been performed, into a reproducibleformat irrespective of the kind of a reproducer.

For example, when content is a flash file “flv or swf”, a flash programis necessary for reproduction, and, when an extension of a file is ts ortp, the file is reproduced by only a video reproducer with a dedicatedplayer installed therein. However, when a result material is changed toat least one of mp4, avi, and mpg files by performing encoding, theresult material is reproduced irrespective of the kind of a videoreproducer.

A signal transmitted from a broadcasting station to a high definitiontelevision (HD TV) is TS, in association with a tp or ts file. A schemeof storing TS in a computer is tp or ts. To provide a simpledescription, the tp or ts file denotes a file in which the HD TVoriginal is stored as-is. When a file capacity is as large as a one-hourduration, the file capacity is 10 GB or more, and thus, it is requiredto adjust the file to an appropriate size.

Therefore, when converted content is disclosed as a sample on ahomepage, an accessed user may reproduce the content for sampleindependent of the type of a terminal accessing the homepage or areproduction program installed in the terminal.

Finally, the watermark insertion apparatus inserts watermark suitablefor a content kind into content in operation S260.

Specifically, the watermark insertion apparatus changes a watermark sizeaccording to a content video screen size or a content image size andinserts watermark into content, or, the watermark insertion apparatuschanges a watermark position according to a video screen or an image andinserts watermark into content. As described above, the contentconverter 130 may adjust a size, position, and concentration ofwatermark and insert watermark suitable for the need of a user.

Moreover, since the watermark insertion apparatus first performs contentconversion and then inserts watermark, a watermark size is not changedaccording to a file size. For example, in inserting watermark (624pixels×300 pixels) having a constant size into a video frame, the sizeof watermark for 1.37-gigabyte video (720×300) is relatively small, andthe size of watermark for 350-megabyte video (624×352) is relativelylarge. However, when content conversion is performed and then watermarkis inserted, even though a file size is changed by content conversion,watermark (720×300) may be inserted into 1.37-gigabyte video (720×300),and watermark (624×352) may be inserted into 350-megabyte video(624×352). Therefore, even when a file size is changed by contentconversion, a constant water size can be maintained, and a water sizemay be determined according to a user's intention.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method inwhich a purchaser identifier (ID) is inserted into provided content maybe considered. Specifically, watermark is added into content beforepurchasing the content, and, after the content is purchased, thewatermark is extinguished. In this case, content purchased by apurchaser may be uploaded onto a file-sharing site, and unlawfullydistributed.

Therefore, to prevent content purchased by a purchaser from beingunlawfully distributed, a purchaser ID may be inserted into the contentwhen the purchaser purchases the content.

In detail, a purchaser ID is inserted into corresponding content whenpurchase is determined. For example, when content is movie content of atwo-hour duration, a purchaser ID is inserted into respective framescorresponding to a 30-minute point, a 60-minute point, or a 90-minutepoint among a plurality of video file frames.

Subsequently, when a purchaser purchasing movie video uploads a movievideo file onto the file-sharing site and thus the movie video isunlawfully distributed, by tracing respective user IDs inserted intocorresponding video at a 30-minute point, a 60-minute point, or a90-minute point, the present invention secures the identity of anunlawful distribution user, thereby preventing the unauthorized copy ofcontent.

As described above, in consideration of the kinds of contents, whencontent is video, the present invention performs encoding on thecontent, and, when content is an image, the present invention extractsthumbnails by designated size from the content, and performs encodingand thumbnail processing on the content, whereupon the present inventioninserts watermark into the content. Therefore, unlike the related artwatermarking method that separately inserts watermark withoutsystematically sorting the kinds of contents, the present inventionsystematically sorts the kinds of contents, perform content conversion,and simultaneously inserts respective watermarks into contents, thusenabling a user to conveniently acquire systematically-sorted contentswith watermarks inserted thereinto. Accordingly, the present inventioncan overcome limitations of the related art watermarking method inwhich, by separately performing insertion of watermark and sorting ofcontents, much time is unnecessarily expended, and unnecessaryoperations are required.

Moreover, the present invention enables a user to select and change asize and position of watermark according to a video size and an imagesize, and thus, the user can conveniently select and adjust the size andposition of watermark according to the user's preference.

Moreover, the present invention performs content conversion and insertswatermark into content, and thus, since a watermark size is not changedaccording to a converted file size, a constant watermark size ismaintained even when a file size is changed by content conversion.

A number of exemplary embodiments have been described above.Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the describedtechniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in adescribed system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in adifferent manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components ortheir equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within thescope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A watermark insertion apparatus, comprising: aprocessor; a controller acquiring a content upload request and a contentconversion request; a content storage storing uploaded content and/orcontent for which content conversion has been performed; and a contentconverter executed by the processor and configured to perform contentconversion on the uploaded content according to a control by thecontroller, insert watermark into the content, and store the content inthe content storage, wherein the content converter determines a kind ofthe uploaded content acquired from the content storage, and insertswatermark suitable for the determined content kind into the acquiredcontent, wherein when the content converter determines that the acquiredcontent is video, the content converter encodes the video, and insertswatermark suitable for the video into the encoded video, wherein whenthe content converter determines that the acquired content is an image,the content converter extracts a thumbnail of a designated size from theimage and inserts watermark suitable for the image into the extractedthumbnail, and wherein when the acquired content is a video contenthaving a first format which requires a program for reproduction of thevideo content or is reproduced by only a video reproducer with adedicated player, the watermark insertion apparatus converts the videocontent for which the content conversion has been performed into a videocontent having a second format being one of MP4, AVI and MPG.
 2. Thewatermark insertion apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controlleracquires a user content request by performing wired or wirelesscommunication with at least one of a personal computer (PC), a notebookcomputer, a netbook computer, a smart phone, and a tablet PC.
 3. Thewatermark insertion apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content storagestores the uploaded content, or stores content for which contentconversion and watermark insertion have been completed.
 4. The watermarkinsertion apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content converter requestscontent from the content storage, and performs content conversion in aFIFO scheme.
 5. A watermark insertion method, comprising: acquiringcontent through upload by a user; storing the uploaded content;receiving a content conversion request; determining whether content forwhich content conversion has been requested is video or an image;converting the content according to the determined content kind; andinserting watermark suitable for the content kind into the convertedcontent, wherein when it is determined that the content is the video,the video is encoded, and watermark suitable for the video is insertedinto the encoded video, and when it is determined that the content isthe image, a thumbnail of a designated size is extracted from the imageand watermark suitable for the image is inserted into the extractedthumbnail, and wherein when the content is a video content having afirst format which requires a program for reproduction of the videocontent or is reproduced by only a video reproducer with a dedicatedplayer, the video content for which the conversion has been performed isconverted into a video content having a second format being one of MP4,AVI and MPG.
 6. The watermark insertion method of claim 5, wherein theinserting of watermark comprises changing a watermark size of thewatermark according to a content video screen size or a content imagesize.
 7. The watermark insertion method of claim 5, the inserting ofwatermark comprises changing a watermark position of the watermark, andinserting the watermark into the content.
 8. The watermark insertionapparatus of claim 1, wherein the content converter changes a size ofthe watermark in response to an instruction inputted through a watermarksize change input window.
 9. The watermark insertion apparatus of claim1, wherein the content converter changes a position of the watermark inresponse to an instruction inputted through a watermark position changeinput window.
 10. The watermark insertion apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe content converter changes a concentration of the watermark inresponse to an instruction inputted through a watermark concentrationchange input window.
 11. The watermark insertion method of claim 5, theinserting of watermark comprises displaying a watermark concentrationchange input window and changing a watermark concentration of thewatermark in response to an instruction inputted through the displayedwatermark concentration change input window.
 12. The watermark insertionmethod of claim 6, wherein the changing the watermark size comprisesdisplaying a watermark size change input window and changing thewatermark size in response to an instruction inputted through thedisplayed watermark size change input window.
 13. The watermarkinsertion method of claim 7, wherein the changing the watermark positioncomprises displaying a watermark position change input window andchanging the watermark position in response to an instruction inputtedthrough the displayed watermark position change input window.